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Around Florida: Text messages show that Weatherford and Gaetz stayed on the same page

From the beginning of their two-year term as legislative leaders, House Speaker Will Weatherford of Wesley Chapel and Don Gaetz of Niceville tried to make one thing clear: We’re on the same page.

In a pre-session meeting with reporters, they rolled-out “Work Plan Florida,” which is a slate of five issues the two chambers would work together on. It was a “historic partnership,” they said.

Gaetz was often fond of calling the younger Weatherford the “taller, smarter, better-looking version of the Weatherford-Gaetz” team.

That could not last, right? Many thought the public partnership would fall apart as the heat of the legislative session cranked up. It didn’t.

Text messages sent between the two during the waning days of the session show they were still on friendly, cordial terms even as things got sharp-elbowed between other members.

“Will, take a victory lap, my friend. You stood down the threats, stood up for your principles, stood by your friends … And gained the victory,” Gaetz sent in a text sent at 7:53 p.m. May 1. “I really like being on your team.”

The text message exchange was after the Senate passed a wide-ranging medical malpractice bill. It came as part of a larger public records request for lawmaker and staff text messages made by the Times-Union.

Weatherford sent a text message back referencing the “Work Plan Florida.”

“I enjoy the Gaetz/Weatherford team very much!,” he wrote. “3 for 5 is not bad with 2 days to go! Let’s close this thing out right!”

The work plan included campaign finance, ethics, elections, higher education and pension reform. By the end of session, they got legislation passed addressing all but pension reform.

The partnership between House and Senate leaders is a far cry from the past two-year leadership term.

During that time, House Speaker Dean Cannon of Winter Park and Mike Haridopolos of Merritt Island were often at odds. In addition, the two years were marked by Senate infighting, with a bipartisan caucus working to kill some of leadership’s highest priority bills.

As a result of the better relationship, this year’s legislative session came to a relatively smooth conclusion while the sun was still out. The past two sessions went into the wee hours of the morning.

This year, lawmakers had a budget surplus for the first time in six years, which helped, but a sense of cooperation between House and Senate leaders did nothing to hurt the process.

Scott stands by DCF secretary amid deaths

In the wake of four child deaths in six weeks, Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday said he relies on Department of Children and Families Secretary David Wilkins to “do the right thing.”

The children died after earlier coming to the attention of child-welfare officials.

“I think Secretary Wilkins is doing a very good job,” Scott told reporters. “He’s very committed to doing the right thing. He’s very committed to making sure that every child is taken care of, and he’ll do the right thing in looking into this.”

Asked if the agency has enough resources to protect children, Scott said, “I rely on Secretary Wilkins. … Right now the biggest thing is, let’s look at what we’re doing and make sure we’re doing the right thing.”

News Service of Florida

Scott asks full court to take testing case

Gov. Rick Scott has asked the full 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to consider the constitutionality of his controversial plan to require drug testing for state workers.

The Scott administration filed a motion last week seeking a hearing before the full court, a move that came about three weeks after a three-judge panel issued a ruling that indicated the state likely could not do across-the-board testing of employees.

The three-judge panel, however, said the state might be able to justify testing for some workers, such as those who carry weapons or operate heavy machinery. It also said the case should go back to U.S. District Judge Ursula Ungaro, with the state having to show a need for drug testing by job category.

But in the motion filed last week, the Scott administration argued that the three-judge panel’s ruling did not follow previous court decisions.

“If a job applicant objects to drug testing, he or she is free to decline the job offer and no search occurs,’’ the motion said. “If an employee objects to testing, he or she is free to find other employment and no search occurs. But when the affected parties willingly consent to the drug test, the test is not an unreasonable search.”

News Service of Florida

Judge nixes rehearing in teacher pay case

A Leon County circuit judge Tuesday declined to reconsider his dismissal last month of a challenge to a 2011 law that links teacher pay and evaluations to student performance.

The Florida Education Association and individual teachers have fought the law, contending in part that the Legislature failed to provide standards for the state Board of Education to follow in determining teachers’ performance ratings.

But Judge John Cooper ruled in favor of the state last month and rejected a request Tuesday to reconsider his ruling. Lynn Hearn, an attorney for the challengers, said a decision has not been reached about whether to take the case to the 1st District Court of Appeal.

News Service of Florida

Around Florida: Text messages show that Weatherford and Gaetz stayed on the same page- By